Kentucky Oaks card sets record with $74.6 million in handle
Betting on the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs easily eclipsed the record for the race, according to a chart, after two years of posting depressed numbers during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the chart, total betting on the Oaks was $24.29 million, a 39.1 percent jump over last year’s handle of $17.46 million and a 25.9 percent gain over the record of $19.29 million set in 2019, the last time the Oaks was run without restrictions on attendance at Churchill.
Wagering on the entire 13-race card also set a record, at $74.6 million, up 37 percent compared to last year’s 13-race card and up 25 percent over the record set in 2019.
This year’s Oaks had a full field of 14 runners, compared to 13 runners last year. The Oaks in 2019 had a full field as well.
For the Oaks, handle was up 38.7 percent in the straight pools; up 44.3 percent in the exacta pool; up 48.9 percent in the trifecta pool; and up 65.8 percent in the superfecta pool. In the multi-race pools, handle for the pick three and pick five ending in the race was up 65.0 percent and 61.4 percent, respectively, while handle for the pick six ending in the race was down 23.1 percent.
Last year, Churchill restricted attendance to approximately 50,000 for both the Oaks and the Kentucky Derby, held the following day. This year, Churchill reported attendance on Friday at 100,188. Derby attendance is usually reported in the 150,000 range.